Millions of dollars are spent each year in the pursuit of "sweet dreams." In our current world of high stress and even higher demands on our bodies, it's no wonder sleep dysfunction is becoming a very real and serious problem. If you find yourself yawning and struggling to get through your day, then it's time to assess the situation and determine if you are affected by a sleep disorder. First step would be your doctor's office. If you are a person with a significant other, bring them with you. They might be able to answer questions that the doctor will wish to ask that you will have no idea of the answers - e.g., do you stop breathing when you sleep? Your family doctor then might send you for assessment by an ear/nose/throat doctor who can determine if these areas might be contributing to your sleep dysfunction. Then after those investigations are concluded, the next step is a sleep lab to assess your actual sleep pattern. There they will hook you up to enough machines that you'll think you're being assessed by the NASA boys to go up in the space shuttle. Don't worry, it doesn't hurt, it's just uncomfortable. :)
So now you come back to all these doctors and you are told you have a sleep disorder. They give you prescriptions for CPAP machines or drugs you've never heard of before and send you on your merry way. So where do you find the basics on your sleep disorder? Why, at the National Sleep Foundation Site. I especially enjoyed their Publications area, which has online pamphlets on everything you wanted to ask your doctor but forgot to ask. They have several programs available that I think everyone including those without sleep disorders can benefit from, such as their Drive Alert/Arrive Alive initiative. They also have bimonthly newletters for physicians and the public, and one section devoted to the truth and facts on melatonin, which I would highly recommend everyone read! Do you live with chronic pain? Then take a peek at their Pain and Sleep publication. It's possible you might learn a thing or two since chronic pain can have an impact on your sleep patterns. Are you a shift worker? Turning your sleep clock around every swing shift can be murder. Learn some tips on how to cope with it.
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